The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-03


 Long ago. while was maiden dwelling in my fathers house, was walking in the garden at the time of the spring festival, and was thus ad- dressed by my friends collected there l:
 "There is here in this pleasure gar den, in the middle of a tree-arbor, the god Gancsa, tine god of gods, the grantor of wishes; and you can wit ness his power. With homage ap- proach and reverence him who bestows what is wished for, so that you may quickly obtain a husband suitable to you without any difficulty"
 When heard that. in my simplicity I asked my friends, "How can young maiden obtain husband by worship ing Ganesa?" Then they answered me, "IIow can you ask that? Unless you worship him, you cannot have any success here, and so we shall de- scribe to you his power Listen." Thus saying, my friends told me this story: Long ago, lndra being perse- cuted by Taraka, wished to obtain n son of Siva for his general and the god of Love being burnt, Gauri, by doing penance, longed for and ob- tained the three-eyed one for her hus- band, who was undergoing n very long and fierce penance in perpetual chas- tity. She desired a son and the return to life of the god of Love, but she did not remember to worship Ganesa for the sake of accomplishing her wishes. And Siva thus said to his dear one, asking what she longed for: My dear, long ago, Love was born from the mind of Prajapati, and just as he was born, he said in his madness ; Whom (hdm) shall 1 cause to be mad?' (ia,paydmt.) Therefore the four faced god gave him the name of Kandarpa. Although you are ex- cessively conceited, my son, neverthe- less beware of conquering the three eyed god, for surely you will receive your death from him. Although he was thus spoken to by his creator, the wicked god came to disturb me, and was burnt up, and there is no genera tion again of his own body. But will generate from you a son by my own power, for oiisprings are not begotten by me by the power of love as with the world" While the God who has the emblems of the bull, was thus speaking to his Parvati, Brahma, accompanied by the god who has a hundred sacrifices, becamc manifest before him, and being praised, he was requested to destroy the Asara Taraka. Then Siva promised to produce on the goddess a son from his own body, and permitting the god of Love, on their requesting it, to be born again with out a body, in the intellect of people, for the purpose of preserving the spe- cics. lie consented that love should dwell in his mind, and the creator be- ing pleased, went away, and Parvati was delighted. Then, in the course of time, in a secluded place, Siva united himself with Uma in sportive pleas ures. And when there was no end of 1 it even in the course of centuries, the three worlds became frightened at his violence. Then the gods, from fear of destruction of the world, and fright ened by his terrible love, called to mind by the command of Brahma, the god of fire. Agni, for his part. hay ing been called 10 mind, and thinking that Siva was invincible, ran away from the gods and passed into the wa ter, and the frogs then being burnt by his fire, informed the gods who were looking for him that Agni had entered the water. Then Agni at that mo- ment made the frogs speech indistiBct by his curse, and again disappearing, went to his palace. Then the gods found him standing in a hollow tree under the form of snail, and he was made known by the elephants and par rots, when he showed himself to them. Having made by his curse the tongues of the parrots and elephants per- verted, he consented to perform the business of the gods, and was praised by them. Agni went to Siva and surrounded him with his fire and passion, but through fear of his curse, bowed humbly before him, and made known to him the wishes of the gods. Siva arose quickly and threw his strength into the fire, for only the god of fire or Parvati Is able to do this. Then Siva thus spoke to the goddess, overwhelmed with sorrow and anger, exclaiming: "A son has not been obtained by me from you There has been produced an obstacle to you here because you have not hon. ored Ganesa, the god of obstacles, therefore honor him, so that q son may be quickly born to us out of the fire" Thus being addressed, the god- deas honored the god of obstacles. and